Battery Drain?

[TonyMan]

I'm new to this and really like the software. After watching a demo on YouTube I darkened the room and tried a few things. After about 35 minutes I saw my battery was down to about 15-20%. I want to think my PC is supplying the 5 volts via USB for the functions it needs and was surprised to see the battery drain so fast. I have a Canon EOS REbel T6is and the battery is an 1100mAh one. If I take my scope out at night it looks like I'd need a pocketful of batteries. Is this normal battery consumption? 

Thanks

 

 

[astroman133]

The USB port on the camera is not for charging the battery. It is only for communications. Also, BYE is only able to display the battery charge information that is provided by the camera. That information is not particularly useful for estimating how much time you have left on the battery.

I would suggest getting an A/C power adapter for the camera. It should plug into the battery compartment after removing the battery. That way you have more reliable power that won't quit in the middle of a capture plan. Another advantage is that the camera will run cooler since the battery won't be warming it while it discharges.

[TonyMan]

Thanks for the advice. However, an AC adaptor would not be practical at a dark site. But you got me to thinking. On Amazon I found a USB to battery shaped device designed for my camera that supplies the proper voltage. I have a backup lithium power supply for my scope that has a USB output that I can plug the device into. I believe that will resolve the issue.

[astroman133]

Great, that sounds like a solution. I have a small inverter that provides 110V to my camera from a 12 volt deep cycle battery.

[TonyMan]

👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[s3igell]

Battery Usage by your DSLR will also depend heavily on "What You are Doing" - LiveView operation uses more Battery than Long Exposures.  You can also conserve more by turning OFF the Back LCD on the DSLR (via Camera Settings Menu).

The "Fake Battery" External Power Supply will be a welcome addition for all your Wintertime Imaging, as the Cold really shortens the Battery Life even further.

Now...  Time to figure out how to Recharge the Laptop for those long Imaging Sessions...